Heart-rending pictures of a toddler's lifeless body washed ashore on a
Turkish beach sparked horror on Wednesday as the cost of Europe's
growing refugee crisis hit home.
The images of a tiny child lying face down in the surf at one of
Turkey's main tourist resorts has once more put a human face on the
dangers faced by tens of thousands of desperate people who risk life and
limb to seek a new life in Europe.
Wearing a red T-shirt and blue shorts, the child -- identified as
three-year-old Aylan Kurdi -- is believed to be one of least 12 Syrians
who died when their boats sank trying to reach Greece.
The bleak image spread like lightning through social media and dominated
front pages from Spain to Sweden, with commentators unanimous it had
rammed home the horrors faced by those fleeing war and conflict in the
Middle East and Africa.
Circulating with the Turkish hashtag "#KiyiyaVuranInsanlik" ("Humanity
washed ashore"), the picture made it to Twitter's top world trending
topics.
"Tiny victim of a human catastrophe," said Britain's Daily Mail, while
Italy's La Repubblica tweeted the words: "One photo to silence the
world."
"If these extraordinarily powerful images of a dead Syrian child washed
up on a beach don't change Europe's attitude to refugees, what will?"
Britain's Independent said in remarks echoed in newspapers across the
continent.
On Wednesday, the UN Security Council said it was discussing a draft
resolution to address the crisis that diplomats said may allow an EU
naval force to seize ships operated by migrant smugglers in
international waters.
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